


Heart Like Yours

by Uzuchi2



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gods and Goddesses, Hades and Persephone-ish au, M/M, Multi, Mythology - Freeform, Slow Burn, minor shisui/itachi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-17
Updated: 2018-01-17
Packaged: 2019-03-05 15:29:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13390764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uzuchi2/pseuds/Uzuchi2
Summary: Hades and Persephone-ish AU. Naruto, the god of flowers and foxes, lives a sheltered life under his father, Minato, the god of spring. Naruto longs for freedom and finds it in a place he least expects.Funny, how such a thing can be found with one that rules among the dead.





	Heart Like Yours

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Uzuchi, here! :) I am pleased to present my first multi-chaptered fic. I decided to try my hand at this AU because the concept always intrigued me. Hopefully you'll find as much joy reading the this fic as I have had writing it.

_“People ask how we bring the dead back to life. My answer: Love.” - Abby S._

* * *

 

Naruto twitched and fidgeted with his robes as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. His heart thundered behind his ribcage. Colorful flowers sprouted from the soil to create a ring around him-- a habit he had when he was feeling particularly anxious.

 _Come on, come on!_ Naruto bounced impatiently. He was waiting for his father, Minato, the god of spring, to finish getting ready. Naruto, himself, was dressed in fine, pale gold robes with lotus flowers embroidered along his sleeves. His feet were bare--a preference he had--and he adorned a crown of yellow primroses.

It was Naruto’s one thousandth birthday, apparently a big deal amongst the gods. Minato had finally agreed to take Naruto to the Upper World--known to the mortals as Olympus. Minato had tried to keep interactions with the others gods to a minimum in fear that they might harass or corrupt his precious son. However, with enough pestering from both his son and the major gods, Minato relented.

Minato stepped out from their home dressed in similar robes to Naruto’s and smoothed out the silky material with his hands. He let out a small puff of air before lifting his head to flash Naruto a reassuring smile, even though Naruto was certain it was his father that needed the reassurance more.

With excitement running through his veins, Naruto nearly flew up the grand staircase leading to the palace of the gods. His footsteps faltered as he stood before the daunting marble walls of the palace. A chorus of flutes, violins, and and other woodwind instruments filled the air with merry music and the incessant chatter and laughter indicated joyous celebration.

Naruto closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet scent of nectar and ambrosia. He allowed the scent to wash over him and calm his growing nerves. It was not often he was allowed such delicacies.

“We can always postpone the festivities,” Minato appeared beside him, “We don’t have to do this now--”

“No,” Naruto replied quickly, “I’m ready, father. I can handle this.”

“If you are certain…”

Naruto nodded firmly and stepped into the palace. Immediately, all eyes fell upon him. Under the direct stare of so many, Naruto suddenly felt like a mouse caught in a lion’s den. Mustering up all the confidence in his body, Naruto held his shoulders back, raised his chin, and strode into the room.

The first to greet him was Iruka, messenger god of Olympus, and one of the very few gods he had the privilege of meeting and treated as a mentor of sorts. The god approached them and bowed respectfully, “Minato, Naruto! Welcome to Olympus.”

Naruto bowed back and greeted Iruka with a wide grin. He then scanned the spacious room decorated with red carpets, gold, jewel-encrusted chairs, and lit up with balls of light that floated in the air. The gods eyed him curiously, some with excitement, while others seemed to grow bored and looked for entertainment elsewhere.

“Allow me to introduce you to everyone.” Iruka grabbed Naruto’s hand and tugged him along.

Introductions flew by like a whirlwind from there as Iruka introduced Naruto to every single god and goddess in attendance. Meeting the major gods of Olympus nearly made Naruto faint. The sheer power they exuded was as much terrifying as it was amazing. He was first introduced to Tobirama, the god of the sea, who greeted Naruto stoically, yet politely. And then there was his brother, Hashirama, the god of woodworks, along with his wife Mito, the goddess of love and fertility. It was a surprise to both Naruto and everyone in attendance when Mito suddenly drew Naruto into a fierce hug and declared that she would ruin anyone that dared to harm such a precious flower.

Naruto’s cheeks flushed bright pink in embarrassment.

Next, he met Tsunade, the strong, intimidating goddess of wisdom and war strategy. The woman greeted him kindly but Naruto could _feel_ the immense power the goddess contained within herself. And then actually bore witness to that power when the lecherous god of wine came up beside her to “innocently” rest his hand on her shoulder. Naruto jumped back when Tsunade, without the slightest bit of hesitation, slammed her fist into the floor. The palace quaked beneath her might and the wine god barely managed to dodge the blow. Tsunade sent the wine god a vicious glare before walking away.

Naruto swallowed nervously and took a couple steps back. Seemingly unaffected by the outburst, the wine god straightened out his red robes and took a swig from a large glass bottle. “Hello! You must be Minato’s boy! Ah, he was cruel to keep such a lovely little flower away from us!”

Iruka hissed at Jiraiya while Naruto shrank away. Minato came up beside Naruto, his lips twitching, “Apologies, Lord Jiraiya. Naruto, this is Lord Jiraiya, god of wine and...pleasure.”

 _Ah, that explains it…_ Naruto made a mental note to stay away from the lecher. He held back a grimace as he bowed and caught a whiff of the strong fumes of the wine god. He smelled entirely of alcohol and made Naruto feel dizzy. Naruto swayed slightly. Iruka bowed quickly before whisking Naruto away.

Naruto was then acquainted with Kurenai, goddess of the hearth, who did not stray away from her duties even with the celebration. Naruto politely left her to tend to her flames. Feeling mildly exhausted from meeting so many gods, Naruto looked towards the exit and wondered if he still had a chance to escape. His excitement of meeting the gods and travelling to Olympus had dwindled and by this time, Naruto was over it.

Being in the presence of so many was stifling and all of them kept calling him a “little flower.” He was not a little flower, damn it! And he was more than just a flower god. He was the god of foxes, too. Though, they did not seem to acknowledged that fact.

_If I’m quick enough, maybe I can---_

“I’ve been looking forward to meeting you, god of flowers and foxes. I hope you weren’t intending on running away. This celebration is in your honor, after all.”

Naruto stilled and shuddered at the sheer, raw power emanating from behind him. Slowly, he turned and smiled sheepishly, reaching behind to rub the back of his head, “Ah, forgive me, Lord Otsutsuki. It is an honor to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine,” Hagoromo did not bow but instead extended a hand.

Vines curled around Naruto’s wrists on the insides of his sleeves as he reached out, his palms sweating and hand shaking. Hagoromo met him half way and took his hand. The king of gods eyed the vines and chuckled, “Are you perhaps nervous, young god?”

“Ah, well--that is...I--” Naruto stuttered, his face turning bright red as purple flowers bloomed on the vines.

Hagoromo let out a hearty laugh that shook the palace. Naruto’s smile strained somewhat as the god gripped his hand. Hagoromo took a moment to study Naruto and his eyes lit up with something Naruto couldn’t place.

“Well then,” Hagoromo reached down to take Naruto’s other hand, “Welcome home, Naruto.”

 

It had taken _forever_ for Naruto to be done with all the introductions. However, after the initial greeting with the major gods, Naruto felt it was safe to let himself relax. It was much easier talking to the younger gods. Most were enthused and excited to meet him. He had been quick in making friends with Hagoromo’s twin sons, Indra, god of the moon and ocean tides, and Ashura, god of the sun and light.

Ashura exuded sunshine--quite literally--and had made Naruto feel the most welcome. Naruto was absolutely fascinated with Ashura’s abilities and watched in awe as the light god continuously released balls of light into the air. He was a great contrast from Indra, who was much more reserved than his twin but had welcomed Naruto warmly with a half smile and firm handshake.

For the most part, Naruto was pleased with everyone, though he had come to find that there were a few gods that he was certain were the reason his father had been reluctant to bring him to Olympus. There was Madara, the god of war, solid in stature and with wild black hair, and eyes as red as blood. There was a glimmer in those red eyes that sought a challenge that seemed to mostly be directed at Hashirama. Naruto wondered if perhaps they had a history with each other. Nevertheless, Naruto had greeted the war god with as much civility as possible before moving on.

Eventually, Naruto found himself sitting with Gaara, the god of sand, and his sister Temari, the goddess of the desert winds. Holding a golden chalice filled with nectar, Naruto grew two desert roses for the siblings. Gaara leaned forward in interest and Temari marveled at the vivid red of the petals.

Naruto could not help but beam with pride at their pleased expressions. He was always enjoyed making others happy with his gifts. He was a very minor god in comparison to the others so being able to do small things like this made him feel useful.

“So, do you like it here?” Gaara asked as he the flowers from the chalice.

“I suppose so. It’s very...lively here.”

“I can’t believe this is your first time here.” Temari said in disbelief, “How is it you’ve never been here before until now?”

His crown of flowers began to wilt, “My father didn’t exactly think I was ready to meet everyone just yet. He’s always been protective of me. He was afraid the other gods might harass me.”

“Ha! Well, I suppose he isn’t completely wrong,” Temari eyed out the god of mischief, Sai, who was drawing a mustache on the face of the dozing god of sleep, Shikamaru. Obito, the god of dreams hovered nearby, no doubt messing with Shikamaru's dreams. 

Naruto’s hands twitched remembering how introductions with Sai went. The god had held his hand for longer than Naruto felt necessary, and his dull black eyes had swept over Naruto’s body in a way that made him want to punch the god in the face. But such fiery displays should not come from a god of flowers. Iruka and his father made it clear that there were roles they had to play. It was Naruto’s to remain gentle, calm, and level-headed.

Even if Naruto’s very nature screamed in protest.

“Has your father talked about us at least?” Temari asked.

“He has. Though descriptions were always brief. I’m happy to have finally met everyone though.” Naruto smiled.

The siblings shared a look that Naruto did not miss. Gaara’s jade green eyes hardened, “Yes, everyone…”

Temari and Gaara fell silent then and Naruto felt a spark of annoyance. The smile fell from his face and his flowers wilted some more. They were keeping something from him. Naruto could very well guess what, but it still annoyed him. Naruto hated being left in the dark. It was frustrating and disheartening. 

Did no one trust him in handling the truth? Did they think him such a child to keep things from him? A bitter taste lingered on his tongue. What they wanted to keep wasn’t so much a secret anyway, so much as it was a preference to avoid speaking about it in general. Minato had instilled it in him that not all gods were kind nor good. Of course Naruto knew that! He was not as naive as his father and evidently everyone else thought. After all, he met a few of those individuals today and he was fine!

But the one they kept from him was different, it seemed. They were something else entirely. Separated and excluded from the rest. They were treated as if they were the plague themselves. The one that mortals and immortals alike cowered from and dared not speak his name, lest he speak back. It was the name that sent shivers down the spines of those who heard it.

Yes, Naruto knew of _that one._ But only the fear that his name carried with him. Certainly, there had to be more to him than that, right? Naruto had always been the curious type and he couldn’t help in wanting to know more.

But the gods of the surface did not speak of those who dwelled below.

\--------------------

As the celebration began to come to a close, Naruto felt himself become quite fatigued. He had spent majority of his time entertaining the gods who wished to witness his gifts. Lee, the god of heroes and glory was a ball of energy and continued to ask for more flowers, more magic, and celebrated Naruto’s gifts with such vigor that Naruto had to ask him--with thin patience--to dial it down. If Naruto were to hear another declaration of the “springtime of youth” he was going to strangle himself with his own vines.

Minato came to retrieve him as he was talking with Konan, goddess of magic, and her spouse Pein, a god of rebirth. As they made to leave, Naruto felt it necessary to leave a token of thanks for the celebration and pressed his palm against the wall. Soon, thick vines grew and crawled along the the palace walls, sprouting pure white roses. The gods applauded him and gave him praise for the beautiful gift.

It was then that the shadows in the corner of the room trembled. A cold feeling washed over the atmosphere of the room. The hairs on the back of Naruto’s neck stood on end and he felt his skin prickle. The power that resonated from the shadows was similar to that of Hagoromo’s only far, far colder and darker.

Naruto felt his father tense beside him. Ashura’s balls of light dimmed considerably as the shadows parted and gave way to the one they dared not speak about. Tension hung in the atmosphere as the dark-haired god stepped into the room.

“Ah,” Hagoromo cleared his throat, “You made it just in time. I trust the Underworld is doing well under your care, Lord Uchiha?”

The king of the Underworld acknowledged Hagoromo with a grunt and a half bow before he strode across the room towards Naruto, his footsteps dead silent. The black robes he wore swept against the floor as the wisps of shadows trailed behind him. The rest of the gods bowed in reluctance as he passed. Despite their dislike, Sasuke was a _king_ and he was to be treated as such. Sasuke did not so much as _blink_ as he eyed Naruto from head to toe. Naruto did not waver under the king’s scrutinizing gaze. He raised his chin and met the god’s eyes head on.

“Naruto, god of flowers, am I right?” Sasuke drawled.

“And foxes,” Naruto hissed out before he could stop himself.

Sasuke raised a brow but his expression remained one of disinterest. Naruto felt his hackles rise at the god’s haughty stare.

Naruto clenched his jaw and the roses upon the walls grew thorns. Sasuke clicked his tongue, “To think I was summoned away from my kingdom for you. I had assumed you’d be quite special to garner this much attention.”

 _Come closer, asshole, I’ll show you something special!_ Naruto nearly snapped. From the confines of his sleeves, Naruto’s nails sharpened, “I _sincerely_ apologize for the distraction, my lord.”

_I sincerely apologize that you are such a bastard!_

Thin brows rose further at the hostility rolling off of Naruto in waves. The crowd looked on anxiously--Madara being the exception, excited for a fight--and dared not move. Naruto didn’t care about any of them. Nor did he care about the king’s status. Naruto was _infuriated_ with the way the god looked at him, the condescending tone Sasuke used to address him, and the rude way he talked to him. The way Sasuke’s mouth opened as if he wanted to say _more_ made Naruto’s muscles coil.

_Fearsome god of the dead, my ass!_

Naruto’s blue eyes darkened considerably in color, taking on a slight reddish hue. Sasuke’s eyes held something similar to Madara’s--a challenge. Naruto would have gladly accepted that challenge, if only to claw the bastard's eyes out and beat the smug expression off the god’s face. But just as Naruto moved forward, a firm, heavy hand fell upon his shoulder, breaking him out of his stupor.

Tension broke and Naruto let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. His shoulders fell and his eyes returned to their natural blue. Sasuke’s eyes trailed to Minato and his stare grew frigid.

“We should be going now, Naruto.” Minato gestured towards the exit.

Instead of leaving right away, Naruto walked over to one of the walls to retrieve a rose from the vine. He held it out to the king of the Underworld and presented a mock bow and a sickeningly sweet smile, “A peace offering for disturbing you. I sincerely thank you for your time, Lord Uchiha.”

Naruto then, none to gently, shoved the rose into Sasuke’s hand before turning to leave with his father. They both said their thanks and bowed respectfully before Minato grabbed Naruto’s arm and dragged him down the stairs. The defiant part of Naruto wanted nothing more to attack the arrogant god but he already knew his father was less than pleased with his actions this evening. His parting display was unacceptable and he knew he would be getting an earful from Iruka later.

With barely contained anger, Naruto allowed himself to be led away like the obedient god and son he was supposed to be.

 

Behind, the festivities continued as if nothing happened, though some stares still lingered upon the king of the dead as he stood in the middle of the room. Sasuke grasped the flower in between his fingers and blinked at the sharp pain he felt. Golden ichor beaded at the wound on his thumb and stained the thorns of the rose. A shadow of a smile creeped up upon the king’s lips. 

\------------------------

Iruka had found him faster than he thought. Naruto flinched as the messenger god berated him. He lectured on and on about the dire consequences Naruto could’ve face had he attacked Sasuke.

“You must show restraint, Naruto! What you did was _bold_. You’re lucky you managed to leave with your soul intact!”

“But, Iruka, he was such an asshole!” Naruto protested, “You saw him!”

“That’s just Lord Uchiha! He’s an asshole to everyone. But more than that, Naruto!” Iruka grabbed Naruto’s forearms, “He is a _king_. It doesn’t matter how he looks down on you or treats you, you must show restraint. He is  _dangerous_.”

“But--”

“You should know that he does not answer to anyone but himself. He and his dreadful older brother. We’re lucky  _he_ didn’t show up, too. For certain, you would’ve died.” Iruka let go of Naruto’s arms and began to pace again, “We’re lucky they don’t venture to the surface very often. But so, please be careful around him, Naruto.”

Naruto made to argue but the look in his father’s eyes caused him to bite his tongue. He didn’t want to anger his father any more than he already did. And though his father did not directly say anything, the wilting of the grass and crops surrounding their home spoke volumes.

His father walked towards him and Naruto braced himself for the worst. Instead, he was met with a hug, followed by a fierce whisper in his ear, “I just want you to be safe. You are all I have, Naruto. After your mother--”

Naruto stiffened and Minato did not continue. Naruto’s mother was always a sore subject. Naruto had asked his father a number of times about her but his father, like with everything else, was brief with explanations. If Naruto ever dared to inquire more, his father quickly shut him down. Eventually, Naruto gave up on asking.

 

Later in the night, Minato took Naruto to an empty field and Naruto watched his father raise a field of wheat. They appeared silver under the moonlight as they swayed in the gentle breeze. Naruto ran his own fingers against the long blades of grass around him and red, yellow, and orange tulips bloomed around them. Minato walked over to him and carefully plucked a flower from its stem. He tucked it behind Naruto’s ear.

“Well done, as always,” Minato smiled, the tension and anger dissipating between them.

Naruto returned the smile before continuing his rounds.

\-----------------

Sasuke did not spend much time in the Upper world once Naruto and Minato left. He had taken the token of ‘apology’ from the young flower god and tucked it into his robes before retreating back into the shadows. The whispers of the dead welcomed him as he descended into the Underworld.

_‘Welcome back, my king.’_

_'Did you enjoy your time, my king?'_

Sasuke paid them no mind as he made his way towards his palace made of obsidian. As he entered his throne room, he found his older brother sitting upon his throne, flipping through some scrolls. Itachi lifted his head as Sasuke approached.

“Welcome home, little brother. Back so soon?”

Sasuke fought the urge to roll his eyes as Itachi got off of his throne so that Sasuke could sit upon it. It had been Itachi that had initially delivered the message to Sasuke. He had apparently been summoned to Olympus for a 'special celebration' for a new 'hot shot' god and he _had_ to go.

When he had asked Itachi about the god, Sasuke was none to impressed when he found out it was some minor god of flowers.

_Why does such a lowly god need a big celebration?_

Sasuke did not understand. He had not met the god yet and he was already bored. Perhaps what sparked little interest was that the god was the apparent son of Minato. Upon his arrival to Olympus and his initial meeting with the minor flower god, Sasuke had been right to assume the young god was none too impressive. But, oh how quick that opinion changed when those eyes grew alight with fire Sasuke had not been anticipating.

There was a sense of familiarity in them that Sasuke could not place. 

It was not very often that a god challenged him, even rarer that a _minor_ god dared meet his gaze as if he were equal. It had annoyed Sasuke as much as it had intrigued him. The ‘precious little flower’ as Sasuke had heard Naruto being referred as, was not at all a simple flower. No, Sasuke saw the defiance in those eyes. And when those eyes burned into Sasuke’s, he saw passion and fury that he was certain did not belong to measly ‘gentle and sweet’ god of flowers.

 _‘And foxes!”_ The young god has hissed. Sasuke had not let it show, but they way Naruto had talked back to him caught him off guard.

“You look deep in thought, little brother. Did something happen during your visit? What did you think of the flower god?” Itachi leaned up against Sasuke’s throne.

Call it curiosity, but Sasuke had the strangest desire to find out more about the god of flowers and foxes. Reaching into his robes, he pulled out the rose and ran his fingers against against the soft petals. It’s thorns were prominent on its stem.

“It seems he is not a delicate little flower as they all proclaim.”

“Oh?”

There was some dark and possibly even dangerous hidden behind the flower child’s mask, and he had let it slip in front of Sasuke. And now Sasuke wanted to know more. 

_I wonder... what else lies behind that mask you wear. Who are you really, fox god?_

\-------------

Naruto gave pause in his wandering when as came across an abandoned graveyard. He frowned as took in the weathered down gravestones and weeds growing in thick bunches all around. Naruto felt them then. The souls of the dead called out to him. He could feel their sorrow and grief left behind. The despair that rose from the soil caused his heart to clench painfully in his chest.

Determined to ease their suffering even in death, Naruto knelt down and closed his eyes. He laid his palms against the soil and commanded his will into it. Slowly, but surely, larkspurs, white daffodils, and yellow marigolds emerged from the soil and bloomed all around him.

Naruto opened his eyes and smiled at the colorful flowers that now covered the graveyard. He stood and felt the despair that once lingered fade away like the morning mist. Satisfied, Naruto flopped down on a stone bench. His fox companion, Kurama, was off hunting nearby and so Naruto let himself relax and fall back against the stone bench as he waited for him.

Just as he was about to doze off, he heard the rustling of grass nearby. Thinking it was Kurama, Naruto sat up to greet him. However, the words died on his tongue the moment his gaze fell upon the figure standing in the middle of his flowers.

Sasuke was dressed in the same black robes he wore during Naruto’s birthday celebration. Naruto tensed as Sasuke reached out to caress one of the marigolds.

 _Don’t touch my flowers!_ Naruto bit back the growl rising in his throat. What was the bastard even doing here? Sasuke plucked one of the yellow flowers and held it between his fingers, “I don’t recall seeing this before.”

Naruto watched carefully as Sasuke tucked the flower away into his robes. _What the fuck are you doing with my flowers?_

Stiffer than a board, Naruto continued to glare at the king. Sasuke, if he had noticed, ignored him as took another sweeping glance around the graveyard, “This was your doing.”

Naruto nodded even though it sounded more like a statement than a question. He did not dare speak lest he say something to offend Sasuke. Sasuke's brows knit together, “Why does this place bare significance to you? Why did you do this?”

“I--” Naruto opened and closed his mouth, contemplating whether or not he should tell the truth. "I could sense the dead.”

Sasuke’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before his eyes narrowed, “You could  _sense_ them?”

“Yes, I felt their sorrow.”

“How?”

“It’s just something I’ve always been able to do. I feel the souls of the deceased in the soil, in the barks of trees, in rivers, anywhere life grows. Why?”

 _What concern is it to you?_ Naruto wanted to demand. But perhaps Sasuke had every right to ask. He was the god of the dead after all. Death was his domain. Naruto felt the slightest bit of guilt and dread. Had he overstepped his boundaries like Iruka warned him not to do? Was Sasuke angry with him?

Sasuke seemed to relax, his expression softening into genuine curiosity, “What concern is the dead to you?”

“It’s just...kind of sad to me. Mortal souls are always forgotten and left behind by time. It's such a terrible thing to be forgotten.”

“No one remembers the dead for long. They are easily forgotten by everyone, including the gods.”

 _Then what about you?_ Naruto wanted to say. Instead, he took a breath before speaking, “Perhaps. But I’ll remember. As long as my flowers grow here, I’ll always remember them. I may not know them personally or their names, but I will at least know they once existed and hope that it eases their souls even just a little.”

Sasuke studied him, his lips set in a hard line. Naruto wondered what the god was thinking. He did not appear angry, so at the very least Naruto was safe from being dragged down into Tartarus.

“You are a peculiar one.” Sasuke picked a daffodil and examined it with what Naruto could only place as admiration, before he looked at Naruto once more, “Perhaps I was wrong about you.”

Naruto blinked in surprise. Sasuke lingered a while longer before tucking the daffodil into his robes as well, “Until next time, fox god.”

Before Naruto could speak, Sasuke had already melted into the shadows and disappeared from sight.

_Tsk, and he calls me strange!_

\-------------------------

There was no telling how many days, weeks, or even years passed since Naruto’s birthday celebration. Time meant so very little to the gods. But many of the gods took it as a green light to come visit Naruto whenever they pleased, much to chagrin of Minato who did not care much for the company. Naruto always welcomed the gods to their humble temple in the forest and he had enjoyed visits from the Otsutsuki twins, the desert and wind siblings, and even Shikamaru from time to time when the god of sleep felt the need to neglect his responsibilities and curl up in Naruto’s garden.

He was less than pleased with Sai’s visits but kept careful restraint. He really did not need another lecture from Iruka.

Taking a stroll through his garden, he felt a slight disturbance. Naruto frowned and made his way towards the strange sensation and hid behind a tree once a familiar dark cloaked figure came into view. Naruto blinked and then blinked again just do double check to make sure he was indeed awake and this wasn’t one of Obito’s dreams. Because he had to be dreaming, right? This had to be an illusion of some sort.

Because there, sitting beneath the large wisteria tree, sat the king of the dead himself, sitting with four little fox kits. Naruto’s jaw dropped at the sight. The kits crawled all over Sasuke. One of them climbed up Sasuke’s arm to sit upon his shoulder. Nearby, the mother fox laid curled just outside her den, seemingly unbothered by Sasuke’s presence.

It wasn’t uncommon to find foxes in his garden. They were his sacred animal after all and Naruto always enjoyed their company. Just then, a dark shadow darting through the bushes caught his attention. Leaping out from the bushes, Kurama made a beeline for Sasuke. Just as Naruto opened his mouth to command him to stop, Kurama lunged at Sasuke. Sasuke startled in surprised when the fox knocked into his back. The fox kits scampered away and hid in their den behind their mother. Sasuke hissed and grabbed Kurama by his hide and held him out in front of him.

“Don’t hurt him!” Naruto cried, before rushing over and quickly taking Kurama from Sasuke. “Bad, Kurama! Bad!” He scolded his fox.

“Hn, pesky little thing,” Sasuke stood and brushed off his robes, "So, you really are a god of foxes.”

Naruto turned his attention back to Sasuke, “Nothing wrong with that, is there?”

The corners of Sasuke mouth twitched upwards slightly, “No. Not at all. Though it is peculiar for a god of flowers to also rule over foxes.”

“I don’t _rule_ over them,” Naruto snapped and bit his lip. He really needed to work on _restraint._

“Then what are they to you?”

“They’re my friends. They come around here a lot and well, they took a liking to me and me to them. Eventually, their god gave me their blessings.”

Sasuke’s frowned in confusion, “I thought you were their god?”

“Ah, well,” Naruto held up Kurama, “Technically this guy was first. But he gave me his blessings and now I am.”

Sasuke looked at Kurama and Kurama met his gaze evenly. He could see the hidden intelligence in the fox’s eyes and the power within them, similar to the flower god holding him.

“Pleased to meet your acquaintance, Lord Uchiha.” Kurama’s voice was a low rumble and Sasuke eyes widened comically.

“You speak?”

“Indeed. Apologies for the assault. I thought you were an intruder.”

Sasuke grunted and sensing the tension ease, Naruto set Kurama on the ground. “Naruto has spoke much about you.”

“Kurama!” Naruto hissed.

“What? It’s true. ‘Lord Uchiha this.’ ‘Lord Uchiha that.’ Kit, you’ve talked about him nonstop.”

Naruto flushed a deep crimson and Sasuke raised a brow, amusement dancing in his dark orbs. “Don’t get cocky…” Naruto muttered.

“But you were talking about me.”

“Not all good things.” Naruto shot back.

Sasuke bit his lip, restaining the smile that threatened to form upon his lips. “Well, in any case, I suppose I should be going.”

“Yes, of course. Thanks for the visit, Lord Uchiha.”

Naruto lowered himself to his knees. He beckoned the fox kits to come closer, who were now staring at them curiously. Sensing no immediate danger, they crawled out and lunged at Naruto all at once. Naruto laughed as the kits playfully nipped at his fingers and tugged on his robes.

“Good day to you, then.” Sasuke moved towards the shadows and Naruto lifted his head up.

“You can come back.”

Sasuke stopped but did not turn.

“I mean, they seem to like you and normally my foxes don’t like anyone. So, you’re always welcome here.”

“Thank you. Until next time, fox god.”

Sasuke stepped into the shadows and disappeared. Kurama walked up to Naruto looked up at him with a knowing smile. Naruto caught it and glared, “What?”

“Nothing, nothing.” Kurama laid down in the grass and curled his tail around himself. _Nothing but a storm coming your way, kit._

\-------------

Sasuke's visits to the surface world became more frequent as time passed on. He always found himself returning to Naruto’s garden and felt a sense of peace playing with the fox kits that grew up before his eyes. Naruto was always there, too, always growing flowers of all sorts. It had become a habit of Sasuke’s to pick one or two and take them home as a souvenir. All flowers he had collected since the time of their first meeting were kept within the pages of leather bound journal.

Why Sasuke had developed the habit, he wasn’t quite sure. Nor did he really understand his need to keep the flowers. He could always go back and retrieve some more. He could go anywhere and pick flowers to his heart’s content. But for some reason he didn’t want _those_ flowers. They weren’t as vivid in color or soft in touch. Or perhaps it was just the fact that they weren’t _Naruto’s_ flowers.

Sasuke pondered over this as he sat upon his throne. Even as he continued with his duties and passed judgement on the souls that appeared before him, Sasuke’s mind strayed elsewhere, to lush green fields. To a garden thriving with all sorts of exotic plants and flowers he had never seen before. To the various fox families that he’d met over time. Foxes were hardly his favorite animal, and yet he looked forward to seeing them.

At some point, Shisui came bursting into the throne room, “Sasuke! You have to see this!”

Sasuke raised a brow and stood from his throne. He had not seen so much excitement in Shisui’s eyes before. Not since he and Itachi had gotten engaged many centuries ago. He followed Shisui to the Acheron river, where Sasuke was surprised to find white lotus flowers floating on the surface of the water.

Sasuke’s breath caught in his throat as he knelt down and dipped his hands into the water to scoop up one of the flowers.

“Beautiful, aren’t they? There was a whole trail of them following my boat.  I was carrying Itachi's freshly retrieved souls.”

Sasuke studied the delicate flower in his palm and a warm feeling rose up within him, “Cause of death?”

“Drowning it seems. There was a boating accident on the surface.”

“How did the souls react? Were they still despaired?”

Shisui hummed, “They were still quite saddened, but not as much as they normally are. They seemed to enjoy the flowers. It eased their agony somehow.”

“So I see…”

“You wouldn’t happen to know the cause of this, would you?” Shisui asked as he too plucked a flower from the water.

“I just might.”

Sasuke looked upwards toward the surface, dark eyes dancing with ever growing amusement. 

\-----

Naruto was in a lighter spirits as he stepped out from the river. He had been merely soaking his feet in the river when he felt the terrible feeling of despair call out to him from the water. Somewhere, down the river, it appeared there was a tragic accident of sorts. So many lives lost, so many _young_ lives lost. It was all Naruto could do to dip his hands into the water and send a cluster of lotus flowers down stream in hopes that they reached those souls to put them at ease, even as Death collected them.

Later, he was summoned by his father through whispers in grass. Apparently, he had a visitor. Naruto reached his home in no time and was pleasantly surprised to find Gaara there. Naruto had found great friendship with the sand god and his sister. Although, Temari’s visits were less frequent than her brother’s.

Gaara liked to come by during the spring to watch as Minato and Naruto worked on the fields, the gods completely unseen by the eyes of mere mortals. Gaara had expressed enjoyment in watching them both work. Kurama did not hang around much when Gaara was around. Naruto had questioned him about it once but Kurama had simply brushed him off, claiming that he just felt a little uneasy around the sand god. That left Naruto baffled. What about Gaara was so unsettling yet he was okay with Sasuke?

The sun was just beginning to set, painting the sky a bright orange and pink. Gaara had suggested taking a walk through the forest, which Naruto was happy to oblige. He liked the forest, the high arching trees, the little critters that roamed about forest floor. Next to his gardens, the forests were Naruto’s favorite place to be. Hidden away from the always watchful eyes of the gods and his father, Naruto felt comfortable enough to be himself under the dense canopy of leaves.

As they strolled through the forest, they talked a little of this and that, just menial, idle chatter. Occasionally Naruto would stop and send his will into the soil, causing spider lilies to emerge from the ground. He had picked a couple of them and gave them to Gaara.

“They’re lovely. Thank you.” Gaara cradled the flowers in this hands.

Naruto smiled softly and wandered over to a decaying tree. As soon as he touched the bark, he felt a tinge of despair, love, and longing. He frowned and stared up at the tree’s branches where a worn rope hung.

Naruto closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against the tree, _I’m so sorry._

Concentrating, Naruto breathed life into the tree, and Gaara watched in amazement as the tree grew back to life, growing yellow blossoms. Looking at Naruto, he noticed the sadness in his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” He took a step forward.

“Someone killed themselves here. They were in mourning of their lost love.”

Gaara went rigid, “What? How can you tell? How do you know that?”

“I felt it in the bark.”

Gaara’s face morphed into partial terror and partial anger as he grabbed Naruto’s wrist and began dragging him out of the forest. Naruto stumbled as he tried to keep up with him. “Whoa, hey! What’s wrong? Gaara? Gaara!”

“If you can sense death that means  _he_ is near.”

“He?” Naruto frowned before realization hit him and he stopped dead in his tracks. Gaara lost his footing and nearly fell at the sudden action, “You mean---”

Before Naruto had the chance to confirm his suspicions, the ground a few yards away from them cracked and opened. Gaara tensed as the lord of the dead emgered. Sasuke looked at the pair and then at Gaara’s fingers wrapped tightly around Naruto’s wrist. Naruto gulped when Sasuke’s stare sharpened, a slight curl on his lips.

“Ah, Lord Uchiha, here for another visit?” Naruto spoke up.

Sasuke blinked once,“I was. But I see that you are otherwise occupied.”

Naruto pulled his wrist away from Gaara and gave a nervous smile. The tension in the air was palpable as the god of sand and the god of the Underworld glared at each other.

“Perhaps I’ll come another time,” Sasuke turned to retreat to the hole in the ground, “Gaara, always a pleasure to see you.”

“Likewise, Lord Uchiha.” Gaara said stiffly.

Shadows wrapped around Sasuke as he turned to look back at Naruto one last time, “I meant to thank you for the flowers.”

Naruto tilted his head. _Flowers? Oh. Right..._ he took a cautious step forward and felt Gaara tense further beside him, “Did they like them? The souls?”

“Yes, I think they did.” And just like that, Sasuke was gone.

Immediately, Gaara grabbed Naruto again and yanked him back. Naruto yelped and felt a spark of anger. “What--”

“ _Another_ visit? He’s been here more than once?” Gaara snarled.

“Is there a problem with that?” Naruto shook Gaara’s hand off and crossed his arms over his chest, “What is your problem?”

Gaara started at Naruto’s glare. He wasn’t very well used to Naruto’s anger. The flower god hardly ever displayed much of it since the initial meeting with the god of the dead.He always seemed kind and caring, as gentle as the flowers he grew. But now, with the clear defiance in Naruto’s posture and heat in his eyes, he wasn’t sure what to make of it.

“Naruto…” Gaara began.

“Why do you all hate him so much? What’s wrong with him?”

“As I recall, you did at some point to.”

Naruto scowled, “I don’t think I particularly hated him. I was just angry at him for being an asshole. But he’s actually okay. He’s nice to be around when he comes to visit.”

Gaara stared at Naruto, looking appalled at the confession, “He’s _nice_ to be around? Do you know who he is?”

“Yes, obviously. Everyone does. And I don’t understand why you’re all so adamant about me staying away from him.” Naruto huffed, “If you want me to avoid him so much, I want an explanation as to _why_.”

Gaara sighed and sat beneath the newly restored tree, “Very well…”

 

 

Long ago, amidst the Chaos that erupted as the new and old gods quarreled, the god of Darkness and the goddess of Night gave birth to two young and powerful gods. Death and the one destined to rule over the dead.

Death was quiet and cunning, always hiding out in the shadows, waiting to strike. Death always came quickly and swiftly, striking fear into the hearts of immortals and mortals alike. The soon to be king of the dead was no exception and was every bit as terrifying and cruel as his brother. For the king could consume or destroy souls should it meet his fancy. He could summon an army of the dead to tear souls apart with a flick of his wrist. Should the king so desire, he could send Death out to retrieve as many as a thousand souls in a single night.

Death and his king roamed the earth for some time, untamable, unmatched. They answered to no one but themselves. They followed no will but that of their own. All too quickly, they gained power that threatened to rival even the new king of gods himself.

And so, as if bestowing upon Death and his king, a great honor, the king of gods designated the Lower Realm to them both to rule.

“Go forth and rule the Underworld with justice and grace. There the dead will thrive and live under your command. Rule well, young king.”

There were many variations of the tale. Some say the young king accepted the position willingly. Others say he was forced to take the deal and ruled fiercely and unhappily.

As for the mortals, as if to appease the wrathful god, often offered sacrifices, in hopes that perhaps it would ward him and his brother off. Anyone that worshipped the king directly was ostracized, deemed insane and therefore likely to meet their doom at the hands of the ones they worshipped.

The souls that the king ruled over quivered before him, and those that were foolish enough to try to escape from the Underworld were dealt with in the most brutal of ways. The king showed no mercy to those who defied him. And so, it was under the king of god’s command that Death and his king remain below the surface as precaution. For if the king returned to the surface, Death would surely follow.

 

 

“So, as you can understand, those who dwell above the surface avoid those who dwell below with reason. Lord Uchiha is a walking tragedy and those who associate with him will surely meet their demise.”

Naruto pursed his lips as Gaara’s story drew to a close. He briefly thought of mentioning the meetings he had with Sasuke, but at the way Gaara’s eyes shone with disdain, and the way he spoke about the god, was enough indication for Naruto to refrain from doing so. It would not help his nor Sasuke’s case any.

Not long after, Gaara excused himself to return back to his sister. Naruto couldn’t deny the elation he felt once the sand god left. Leaning against one of the looming willow trees in his garden, Naruto thought deeply as he stroked Kurama’s fur.

“I get their fear, but it also seems a bit much,” Naruto murmured and Kurama lazily opened an eye, “He really doesn’t seem all that bad. The others treat him like he’s some sort of monster.”

But how could that be when Sasuke held the fox kits so carefully and gently in his arms when he came for visits? How could it be when Kurama, the picky, stubborn fox of his did not trust anyone, yet seemed to trust Sasuke?  Sure, Sasuke was always equipped with snide remarks and at times, rude comments, but that hardly qualified him as a monster. And then there was the way that Sasuke handled Naruto’s flowers, in a manner that was almost...tender, as if he were handling the most precious thing in the world.

For a god seemingly only capable of death and terror, Sasuke appeared rather harmless. Or at least to Naruto. Naruto observed the way Sasuke’s eyes widened and lit up when he found something that sparked his interest. Noticed the way Sasuke’s lips curled into a small, but genuine smile when he played with the foxes. And the poorly masked excitement on the god's face when he returned to find new foxes roaming about. And Naruto for sure he did not ever miss the way Sasuke’s dark eyes softened whenever he looked at Naruto’s newest creations or came to thank him for the flowers he left for the dead.

It was in those dark eyes that Naruto saw _life_. Yes, they could be cold and sharp and sinister. But whenever Naruto had looked into those eyes he had not seen a single trace of the monster everyone claimed Sasuke to be.

“I don’t understand it, Kurama.” Naruto let out a frustrated sigh.

“Everyone fears what they do not understand,” Kurama muttered sleepily, “But ultimately, it is ones choice whether or not to take that chance to understand which they fear.”

“I don’t fear him.”

 _Because you are beginning to understand him,_ Kurama let his eye fall closed and snuggled closer against Naruto, relishing in the warmth his god provided.

\-----------------------------

The next time Sasuke came for a visit, he was dressed in casual clothes, a loose, long sleeved shirt, pants, and cloak. A new family of foxes had moved into Naruto’s garden and had greeted Sasuke with as much enthusiasm as the first family, who had long since moved on.

Naruto watched as Kurama joined in the fun and tumbled around with the little balls of fluff. Naruto nearly lost it when Kurama jumped on Sasuke’s head to get away from two particularly rowdy little fox kits. Sasuke’s bottom lip jutted out slightly and Naruto had to bite the insides of his cheeks to keep himself from laughing.

 _Is he_ pouting?! Naruto couldn’t believe it!

However, the king was quick in schooling his features and manipulated his shadows so that they curled around Kurama and lifted the fox off his head. Kurama grumbled-- _’spoilsport’--_ as Sasuke set him on the ground, the shadows retreating back to their king.

Deeming it safe to leave Sasuke alone with the foxes, Naruto left to retrieve a tea set from his temple. It was only proper to offer his most popular visitor tea. He returned with a kettle full of jasmine tea and two porcelain cups-- a gift from the two art gods, Deidara and Sasori.

Naruto carefully filled the cups and handed one to Sasuke. Sasuke took the cup and whispered a quiet ‘thank you’ before taking a sip. He made what sounded like a pleased hum and Naruto beamed.

“Lord Uchiha?” Naruto asked hesitantly. Something had been bothering him for some time. 

“Hm?”

“Why…” Naruto pressed his lip together, not entirely sure how best to phrase his question, “I mean, er…”

“Don’t think too hard, fox god. You’ll strain yourself.”

Naruto growled at the snarky comment and Sasuke smirked behind his teacup.  Deciding that there was no better way to put it, Naruto just blurted it out, “Why do you come to the surface so often now? Surely it must not just be for the foxes.”

Naruto cringed inwards, and wondered if perhaps this would be what finally pushed the god over the edge. Instead, Sasuke simply lowered his tea cup and looked off into the distance. Naruto recognized the stare. Sasuke often did this when he was contemplating something.

“Careful, Lord Uchiha. You wouldn’t want to strain yourself.” Naruto teased, feeling rather bold. Sasuke gave a mock glare and bumped his shoulder against Naruto's. Surely, Iruka and his father would've had a heart attacking seeing them now. But by this point, Naruto had grown to think of Sasuke as a friend, despite Gaara's warning to stay away. 

He briefly wondered if Sasuke thought him a friend, too. 

“I suppose I came to satiate my curiosity,” Sasuke shrugged.

“Oh? And has it been satisfied?”

Sasuke stared at Naruto, “Not in the slightest.”

“Hmm…” Naruto wanted to know more but a part of him felt that perhaps he should save his questions for another day. Instead he choose to enjoy the peace and serenity the spring brought. His father was probably hard at work and would eventually call Naruto to aid him soon.

Sasuke cleared his throat and set the tea cup down beside Naruto before standing up, “I should be going. Itachi can’t be left alone for too long.”

“Itachi?”

“My brother. You know him as Death,” Sasuke’s lips curled into a snarl, “I know him as the biggest pain in my ass.”

Naruto laughed and the flowers around them bloomed in abundance. For ones deemed so terrifying, it seemed they had a rather normal sibling relationship.  Sasuke rolled his eyes, “You laugh because you do not know him. In any case, thank you for the tea, fox god. It was good.”

Once Naruto calmed down, he huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, “My name is not ‘fox god.’ I do have a real name, you know? You're welcome to use it at any time.”

The shadows parted and the ghost of a smirk appeared upon Sasuke’s lips, “I am aware. Until next time.”

And just like that the shadows swallowed the king of the Underworld and Naruto was left alone. Brushing off the irritation Naruto felt at the king’s disregard to use his name, Naruto reached out to dip his finger tip into his half finished cup of tea.

A single sakura blossom bloomed upon the surface.

_Until next time…_


End file.
